ISBN 978-0-19-2743 33-6
9 780192 743336 £4.99 RRP
For Minerva (Minnie) the cat. J.C.
3 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University’s objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide Oxford is a registered trade mark of Oxford University Press in the UK and in certain other countries Text © Jane Clarke and Oxford University Press 2015 Illustrations © Oxford University Press 2015 Cover artwork: Richard Byrne Cover photographs: Tony Campbell, Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova, Bartkowski /Shutterstock.com Inside artwork: Dynamo All animal images from Shutterstock With thanks to Christopher Tancock for advising on the first aid The moral rights of the author/illustrator have been asserted Database right Oxford University Press (maker) First published in 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior permission in writing of Oxford University Press, or as expressly permitted by law, or under terms agreed with the appropriate reprographics rights organization. Enquiries concerning reproduction outside the scope of the above should be sent to the Rights Department, Oxford University Press, at the address above You must not circulate this book in any other binding or cover and you must impose this same condition on any acquirer British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Data available ISBN: 978-0-19-274333-6 (paperback) 2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1 Printed in Hong Kong Paper used in the production of this book is a natural, recyclable product made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing process conforms to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.
‘We’ll be there in a whisker!’ Dr KittyCat meowed. She grabbed her flowery doctor’s bag.
Chapter Two
‘It’s Daisy!’ Dr KittyCat told Peanut. ‘She’s hurt herself at the Cupcake Bake. So we’re needed there earlier than we thought!’ ‘Poor little Daisy,’ Peanut squeaked. ‘I hope she’s not badly hurt!’ He picked up the Furry First-aid Book and hurried after Dr KittyCat. The vanbulance was parked in its usual place next to the clinic. Peanut pulled open the flowery door, leaped onto the passenger seat and tucked in his tail.
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Dr KittyCat threw her flowery doctor’s bag onto the front seat next to him and jumped up beside it. She checked her stripy tail was out of the way and closed the door. Peanut glanced over to her as they both clicked on their seatbelts. ‘Ready to rescue?’ Dr KittyCat meowed. She grabbed hold of the steering wheel and started the engine. ‘Ready to rescue!’ Peanut squeaked. He hit the button on the dashboard to make the siren light flash.
h! e-na Nee! e h N a n nah! ee N The vanbulance sped
off through Thistletown.
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Dr KittyCat threw her flowery doctor’s bag onto the front seat next to him and jumped up beside it. She checked her stripy tail was out of the way and closed the door. Peanut glanced over to her as they both clicked on their seatbelts. ‘Ready to rescue?’ Dr KittyCat meowed. She grabbed hold of the steering wheel and started the engine. ‘Ready to rescue!’ Peanut squeaked. He hit the button on the dashboard to make the siren light flash.
h! e-na Nee! e h N a n nah! ee N The vanbulance sped
off through Thistletown.
30
Peanut clutched at the dashboard
In no time at all they were at
as the vanbulance bumped and rumbled
the meadow. With a scr-ee-eech of
over the timber bridge. The tyres
the brakes, Dr KittyCat brought the
squealed as they rounded Duckpond
vanbulance to a halt next to a big,
Bend and raced along the country lane.
bright banner that said, ‘Welcome to
Peanut stifled an anxious squeak and
Thistletown Festival!’ Peanut sighed
tried to stop his whiskers quivering.
with relief as he turned off the siren
Don’t panic, Peanut, he told himself,
and jumped out.
Dr KittyCat drives fast, but she always drives safely.
The festival field was crammed full of brightly coloured tents and tepees.
Peanut clutched at the dashboard
In no time at all they were at
as the vanbulance bumped and rumbled
the meadow. With a scr-ee-eech of
over the timber bridge. The tyres
the brakes, Dr KittyCat brought the
squealed as they rounded Duckpond
vanbulance to a halt next to a big,
Bend and raced along the country lane.
bright banner that said, ‘Welcome to
Peanut stifled an anxious squeak and
Thistletown Festival!’ Peanut sighed
tried to stop his whiskers quivering.
with relief as he turned off the siren
Don’t panic, Peanut, he told himself,
and jumped out.
Dr KittyCat drives fast, but she always drives safely.
The festival field was crammed full of brightly coloured tents and tepees.
Peanut read the signs. ‘Storytelling, coil pot making, music, dancing, knitting . . . Something different’s going on in every tent,’ he squeaked. ‘Where’s the Cupcake Bake taking place?’ Dr KittyCat pointed to a large canvas tent at the far end of the field. Two flags, each with a picture of a cupcake, and a string of colourful bunting fluttered in the breeze above the tent. ‘In that marquee,’ Dr KittyCat said, leading the way towards it. ‘So that’s where Daisy must be . . .’ Mrs Hazelnut greeted them at the entrance. ‘Thank goodness you’ve arrived,’ she said.
34
Peanut read the signs. ‘Storytelling, coil pot making, music, dancing, knitting . . . Something different’s going on in every tent,’ he squeaked. ‘Where’s the Cupcake Bake taking place?’ Dr KittyCat pointed to a large canvas tent at the far end of the field. Two flags, each with a picture of a cupcake, and a string of colourful bunting fluttered in the breeze above the tent. ‘In that marquee,’ Dr KittyCat said, leading the way towards it. ‘So that’s where Daisy must be . . .’ Mrs Hazelnut greeted them at the entrance. ‘Thank goodness you’ve arrived,’ she said.
34
Inside the marquee, a group of
Dr KittyCat and Peanut made
little animals wearing aprons and chefs’
a beeline towards her. Dr KittyCat set
hats was gathered around what looked
down her flowery doctor’s bag next
like a small and very fluffy ball of fur.
to the fluffy kitten.
It was Daisy. The tiny kitten was curled up on the wooden floor beside one of the cookery counters. She was crying as if her heart would break.
‘We’re here now, Daisy,’ she purred. ‘Tell us what’s wrong.’
Inside the marquee, a group of
Dr KittyCat and Peanut made
little animals wearing aprons and chefs’
a beeline towards her. Dr KittyCat set
hats was gathered around what looked
down her flowery doctor’s bag next
like a small and very fluffy ball of fur.
to the fluffy kitten.
It was Daisy. The tiny kitten was curled up on the wooden floor beside one of the cookery counters. She was crying as if her heart would break.
‘We’re here now, Daisy,’ she purred. ‘Tell us what’s wrong.’
Daisy’s nose was covered in flour
‘I need to put icing on my cakes,’
and tears were rolling down her fluffy
Daisy wailed. ‘But I can’t do it. It hurts
cheeks. She waved a tiny paw at the
too much!’
flour-speckled counter. Seven tiny
‘We’ll make you better as soon as
cupcakes were sitting on a cooling rack
we find out what the matter is,’
in the middle of a sticky jumble of
Dr KittyCat reassured her.
mixing bowls, spoons, and baking tins.
Dr KittyCat smiled up at Mrs Hazelnut and the little animals. ‘Daisy is safe in our paws,’ she told them. ‘Please get on with making your cupcakes while we help her.’ Peanut turned to Daisy. ‘Now, Daisy,’ he squeaked. ‘You told us about your cupcakes, but what Dr KittyCat really needs to know is exactly what part of you is hurting . . .’
39
Daisy’s nose was covered in flour
‘I need to put icing on my cakes,’
and tears were rolling down her fluffy
Daisy wailed. ‘But I can’t do it. It hurts
cheeks. She waved a tiny paw at the
too much!’
flour-speckled counter. Seven tiny
‘We’ll make you better as soon as
cupcakes were sitting on a cooling rack
we find out what the matter is,’
in the middle of a sticky jumble of
Dr KittyCat reassured her.
mixing bowls, spoons, and baking tins.
Dr KittyCat smiled up at Mrs Hazelnut and the little animals. ‘Daisy is safe in our paws,’ she told them. ‘Please get on with making your cupcakes while we help her.’ Peanut turned to Daisy. ‘Now, Daisy,’ he squeaked. ‘You told us about your cupcakes, but what Dr KittyCat really needs to know is exactly what part of you is hurting . . .’
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